Fading American Democracy...

Our American Democracy is fading fast. We are well on the road to a dictatorship. Consider the warning signs. We now have two militaries, US Army, US Air Force, US Navy US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard being one and the contractors being the other, Xe, Dyncorp, KBR etc. Our sixteen intelligence agencies and their corresponding contractors are also in this stew. The Federal Government now keeps lists of citizens The "No Fly" list for example. The mass media is no longer independent. They simply repeat what officialdom tells them too with few exceptions. Embedding goes far beyond our war zones. We have a scapegoat population to put many of our problems on via so called "illegals". Creeping militarism. We have come to revere our military, trusting it more our national government. We also devote a huge amount of resources to spying on our own citizens in the name of "national security". There are more warning signs you can read for yourself here. The weak leadership of President Obama is also a huge red flag. Add to this volatile mix the expanding role of multinational corporations and the real danger only grows.

Now corporations can express themselves as “persons” by donating as much as they want to political campaigns. Our elections are already a bad representation of democracy for a number of reasons. We only have two parties to choose from which are more similar than different. People feel they have no influence over what goes on at the national level. Where have the huge demonstrations gone? Now corporations can give all they want to political campaigns? This is problematic for a number of reasons. Only a small number of people with in a corporation will have the say in who gets contributions and who does not. A corporation is not “evil” but only a way of doing business with the goal being to make money for shareholders. Making money and doing what is right for the country are not always the same thing. Looking ahead, this is a step toward reorganizing our world along business interests and not national interests. If making money is the goal, the outcome will not be pretty. We are no longer capable of waging war with out contractors IE private companies. It is unclear where they fit in the chain of command or how they are regulated. Our future leaders will be only mouthpieces bought and paid for by amoral multinational conglomerations with no national loyalty what so sever. To a large degree, this is already happening but this ruling will only accelerate the process. Obstacles to profits (read labor and environmental regulations) will be removed.

I've given up on the Democrats as an opposition party. With the presidency and both houses of congress, all they have accomplished is a watered down stimulus bill, so called heath care reform (written by the insurance companies and financial "reform" that largely leaves the existing structures that brought on the recession in place. From what I see, little to nothing has changed in foreign policy. Iraq and Afghanistan grind on with no end in sight (Iraq is by no means a done deal). We still ignore Habeas Corpus. I'm not sure we have time to build a real opposition party before an American Fascist state rises but it is our best shot.

Open Letter to The Honorable Howard Coble

Dear Congressman Coble:

Your old friend and my mother, "Hutch" Helen LaVack is no longer able to speak with you. If she were here, I think she would have already expressed some of the concerns I would like to share. So this letter I write for her as well.

What has become of the Republican Party? I have at times voted Republican but can no longer give the party my support. It is going further and further to the radical right. "Tea baggers", gun nuts, and now mobs shouting down fellow citizens and their Representatives at meetings to discuss health care reform; it is sad to see a once great party in such a sorry state. Comparing a sitting US president to Hitler frankly disgusts me. I did not vote George W. Bush and disagreed with a lot of what he did but he was still my President and deserved my respect. The Republican Party seems to have forgotten what loyal opposition means. Of course it is okay for citizens to disagree with President Obama. That's why we have a Republican Party! But fear mongering and spreading hysteria are no way to deal with all the complex issues our nation faces. What is the answer?

The answer lies with you, sir. You and other good and honorable Republicans need to regain control of the party and stamp out this kind of politics. It is bad for your party and worse for the country as a whole.

Sincerely,

Your old friend -Paul D. LaVack

Not Smart...

We as a country are not smart enough to see all the trouble we are getting into. We are too busy being entertained by sports, television and so called “news”. Look at CNN right now. What is news worthy? “Michael Jackson’s mom gets custody of kids”, a story on a flight attendant and seven-year-old leading cops on a chase are happening on July 30, 2009. This is all front page news! Let’s not worry about two on going and militarily un-winnable wars, an over heating planet, the sewer that once was our oceans, exploitation via globalization and a collapsing healthcare system. The list of real and news worthy problems could go on and on but we get Sara Palin! Why? We have gotten this dumb! Entertainment and theatre now pass for news.

I think by design, our education system only worsens over time. There is little to no room for anything involving creativity or critical thinking. It is all about science and math and passing standardized tests. Want to learn about your own body (real sex ed) learn about credit or how to write complete sentences that hopefully make up a paragraph- forget it schools no longer have time for it. Why should we think for ourselves when there is television? We hear sound bites about healthcare reform. Very few of us have any in depth knowledge about what is being decided in our name, much less who is doing the real deciding. It is time to face the fact that we live in an oligarchy and have for some time. I see less and less real differences between the two mainstream political parties. The same people pay both democrats and republicans. Neither really wants true healthcare reform, and an end to the insanity in Iraq and Afghanistan or truly pluralistic democracy. There are a few differences on social issues but these are window dressing on an otherwise one party state. To have a true democracy takes a well-educated population and real choices. We are lacking in both. Few see past the spectacle of election year politics, sound bites and distractions that pass for democratic government. What lies behind the scenes are those with large checkbooks, blinded by sheer greed thinking only for themselves TODAY. This illusion needs non-thinkers sitting in front of their TV’s being spoon-fed the illusion of democracy. Look up “Inverted Totalitarianism” on your favorite search engine. It is a pretty grim but an all too likely path we are going to take. All that is needed is enough stupid people.

The Internet provides a small glimmer of hope. If enough people read stuff like this and start to think, things may turn out different. But who want to read when there are reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 on You tube?

Over 50 and looking for work…

There is no way around it, the older we get the harder it is to find work. It is a lot about perception. The biggest thing for a professional is money, The older worker is going to want a lot of money or maybe make my company’s health insurance bill go up. They may be slow to catch on, epically if a business uses a lot of technology like computers and blackberries. Another problem some people may be uncomfortable telling an older person what to do and with that, not wanting to be told what to do either. Another perception people may face is energy. In this culture, we equate youth with energy. We want the young hungry salesman not the burned out one! And there is always attitude. If you go into an interview with the idea that you will be dismissed because of your age, there is a good chance this will come to pass. The effort is doomed from the start. A few decision makers may feel older workers are going to miss more work than their younger counterparts. There are all kinds of articles on line and elsewhere dispelling most of the misconceptions listed above. So what does this mean for you, over 45, 50 and up job seeker?

Look for jobs that are going to work. A huge company, like American Express or the Federal Government, can absorb someone who may have health issues easier than a three-person operation. As far as pay, it depends on you. Again apply for stuff that will work for you and let them know in the cover letter or interview the price is right. If you are a former manager looking for a non-manager position, let them know (even if it may not be totally true) you are out of the management game. The energy perception is harder to overcome. Dress the part you want to play. The right demeanor and a positive attitude (with a sense of humor?) will go a long way. If you are just getting on line keep learning the computers. If you have been in a role where you have not had to use a computer or blackberry, this not your age will be your biggest barrier. There are tons of ways to learn to use computers for free. Go check with your local library or community college for details. If you have had a great attendance record, highlight it in the interview. Now, how to get to the interview.

For God’s sake there is no need to go back ‘80’s ‘70’s and even ‘60’s on a resume or application. Unless you are talking to someone you are related to, no body gives a shit what your job was back then. Unless it was 20 to life in state prison! The last 10 years is all they want to know. If you have an older degree or high school diploma, list it but leave off the date. The fact you graduated high school in 1975 has nothing to how well you can do a job now but a high school diploma may be a requirement so you need to list it. Now, you may be stressing if you worked only one place for almost all of your adult life. List it from the start year. If you worked at a company from 1990 to 2008 chances are you worked different jobs. List the different positions and explain what you did at each one. If you had the same thing for a long time, list what you did and list other skills you have. Such a resume reflects stability, a good work ethic and dependability. But you are more…

Do not forget you are a person that never can be fully represented on any piece of paper. So do not settle for whoever hires you. No, take control and apply only for things you are interested in. Anything less is a waste of time damn it! Sure, it may take a little longer but it will be worth it. You made it this far, so what is a little extra time?

Corporate Culture... of Fear/ Debit.

Pins and needles. is this what it feels like where you work? Are people around you getting let go for dumb and dumber reasons? How is the revenue flow going? You get the idea. So many work places are becoming so dehumanizing. Management can hold the specter of being fired or laid off over your head and this gives them even more power. "Can you stay an extra hour?" "Get the extra work done or I will find someone who can." I'm sorry but we are going to have to cut your hours." Similar statements (and far worse) are being made all around the country every day. Here in North Carolina, a so called right to work state, you can be fired on the spot with no explanation given. People feel they have no choice but to live like this pay check to pay check. Few people seem to like their jobs so, why do they stay? Most people will say things like family, responsibilities, bills and or to have money. What they are really saying is "I have debit." I owe so off to work I go.

Debit. It is so deep in American Culture. We go into debit for not only houses and cars but just plain stuff as well! Here, people will finance you a pet puppy! We have credit cards that are easy to use (too easy) to satisfy that new manufactured want or need. Check out this for example. By their ads, you would think it is the second coming! Watch the people lay their money down or credit! I recently paid off a credit card (my only one) and thought about closing it out. I had to deal with a flood of dire warnings about how it would hurt my credit rating. My credit rating. Somebody will one day look at this number and decide if I am a low risk. It may look good at the moment but if I dig myself in deep enough, this same yahoo will decide I am not so credit worthy. Pay off stuff on time, play the game, no good they will change the rules on you. Once you get into the debit trap, your managers (the ones who see you as an expense) have even more power over you.

If you are fortunate enough to still be working, GET OUT OF DEBIT! The less you owe, the more flexibility and control you will have. Debit is the new slavery. The laws are made by the credit card companies and banker types for their benefit, not yours. If you owe off to work you HAVE to go.

Beat the "Jobless Recovery"

Sorry I've been away awhile.

Let's get our jobless recovery on! It looks like the banks are getting back in the black and Wall Street seems overjoyed! We worry about passing some more weeks of Unemployment (which is not the answer either) or spending billions on a better health care system but the real story remains out of the main stream. How much was / is the bail out? 14 TRILLION and counting! Do not take my word for it look here. Mrs. Prins knows what she is talking about. If you do not believe her, google "cost of the bail out". There are twelve zeros in one trillion. i.e. 1 Trillion = 1,000,000,000,000... Where did this money come from? Somebody is running the printing press and getting over time! It is no wonder the banker and Wall Street types are more happy these days. So what about you? How's that change working out for you? In my view, the Republicans are even worse, As I get older, I see less and less difference. It is going to take a lot more than 14-20 weeks more of Unemployment to get things going in the right direction again. I will not bullshit you, I'm no economist. So what does this got to do with a job search? Remember this blog is for one person only- you. You can still succeed.

What can you do? I've seen people doing the same old job search routine month after month (and in a few cases year(s). It is like the movie Groundhog Day, except reliving a nightmare of uncertainty, anxiety and false motivation over and over. Even if this method works, the nightmare continues. Get laid off, get fired for some stupid reason and start the whole process over again! Many move with blinders between jobs not pausing to think their way out of it. You must be creative! You must network! Sitting at home in front of a computer isolated from the rest of humanity filling out on line apps and emailing resumes is not going to get you a job, much less a career. This only leads deeper and deeper into cold dark depression. There is another way. Volunteer, play sports, do church stuff and get involved in any other activity you can think of to get around people. The job / career will find you. What need can you fill? What need do you WANT to fill? Answer these and you are on your way. If the Unemployment is out and you are looking at the ole $20 crisis, there are things you can still do.

Here a few ways to generate so income...

1. Voice 123 - voice overs.

2. Market other people's stuff on line

3. Ebay- Sell your stuff or stuff for friends on line.

4. GOARMY.COM They're always hiring.

5. Swift Transportation Be a truck driver.

Capitalism is an ass kicker. Government will not take care of you. You are pretty much on your own. I call it freedom to fail or succeed. Look with in and to friends, family and others to find what will work for you. Use the Internet to apply for jobs but keep in mind this by itself will take a very long time to work if it works at all. Network and network more...

E-mail Alert!

slavewoman@

thedarkavenger@

sexyamama36dd@

darknight@

When applying for a job the email you use says a lot about you. All of the best qualifications in the world will not get you by if anything like the above is on your resume. Employers are being overwhelmed now and have to look for anything to trim down the number of applicants they want to talk to. Some may think such emails might be cool, true or fun but to an employer they may show immaturity, vanity or worse- stupidity. It is a small and seemingly unimportant detail but one that can cost a lot in the long run. For looking for a job, use your name and not something that a 5Th grader would make up. 

The same goes for the music you pick to ring on your cell phone. If there are a ton of good applicants, rap, metal and country are a few ways to narrow the field. If somebody has to sit through music to leave a message and they do not share the same appreciation of death metal, there is a good chance your voice mail will remain eternally empty. 

The same is true for voice mails. If you read the first two paragraphs by now you got the idea....